ircrehab.com – News Features & Broad Perspectives

The Delhi High Court dismissed a PIL questioning the BCCI's right to call its players the 'Indian cricket team'. Judges deemed the plea a 'sheer wastage' of judicial time, emphasising that the team unequivocally represents India in international sports, regardless of the BCCI's private status. The court found no violation of emblem or flag laws.

Former Delhi captain Mithun Manhas was elected the 37th president of the BCCI at its Annual General Meeting, succeeding Roger Binny. The 45-year-old, a seasoned domestic cricketer with a formidable playing record, emerged as a consensus choice backed by the JKCA. He becomes only the third former cricketer to occupy the board's top chair.

The BCCI has rolled out a landmark incentive scheme, financially rewarding domestic cricketers for playing more matches, with a potential bonus of Rs 1 crore for 14 first-class games. This aims to boost domestic cricket's competitiveness and commitment. Mithun Manhas was elected as the 37th BCCI president, succeeding Roger Binny.

The Asia Cup is marred by a handshake controversy following India's victory over Pakistan, escalating with Mohammad Amir's veiled critique of the Indian team via a social media post praising Virat Kohli. This incident led to scheduling disruptions, including a delayed Pakistan-UAE match due to PCB's concerns over the match referee.

India's Asia Cup 2025 began with a dominant win over UAE, but Suryakumar Yadav's sportsmanship stole the show. He withdrew a run-out appeal, earning praise from Ajinkya Rahane, who highlighted the gesture's significance. Rahane also commented on team balance, noting Arshdeep Singh's absence and suggesting his inclusion alongside Bumrah for quality pace bowling against stronger opponents later in the tournament.

Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar ignited a debate by stating that Rohit Sharma, despite his ODI achievements and leadership, doesn't quite reach the level of Indian batting legends like Gavaskar, Tendulkar, Dravid, and Kohli. Manjrekar emphasised Test cricket's significance in defining greatness, suggesting Rohit's impact in that format was not substantial enough.

Indian cricketers, including Rohit Sharma, recently underwent fitness assessments at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru following a break. While the Yo-Yo test was conducted, the Bronco drill, recommended by Strength & Conditioning coach Adrian Le Roux, was absent but might be included during the Asia Cup in Dubai.

Sunil Gavaskar strongly criticised AB de Villiers for questioning Shreyas Iyer's Asia Cup omission, asserting that foreign players should not interfere in Indian cricket matters. Gavaskar emphasised that Indian cricketers refrain from commenting on other nations' selections and accused the Indian media of seeking validation from overseas opinions, reigniting the debate over external influence in Indian cricket.

Sachin Tendulkar recently engaged with fans on Reddit, reminiscing about his prediction of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma carrying his legacy. He acknowledged their contributions to Indian cricket and highlighted the promising future with emerging talents. Kohli and Rohit, now focused on ODIs, are set to play a crucial series against Australia in October, bridging experience with the next generation.

Cheteshwar Pujara, a stalwart of India's Test cricket team, has retired from all formats at 37, leaving behind a legacy of 7,195 runs in 103 Tests. Despite Pujara's exit, several contemporaries who debuted earlier continue to play.

South African legend AB de Villiers predicted India pacer Jasprit Bumrah won't play every Asia Cup 2025 game due to workload management, despite his inclusion in the squad. De Villiers supported selectors' proactive approach to protect senior players like Bumrah, emphasising the importance of managing workload to get the best performance.

Wicket-keeper batter Jitesh Sharma, after a period of self-reflection following his initial T20I appearances, has made a remarkable comeback to the Indian team. His resurgence was fueled by a strong IPL season with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, where he showcased his finishing abilities and even captained the team in Rajat Patidar's absence.

With the introduction of the 'Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill 2025', the BCCI faces potential revenue impacts due to key sponsorships from gaming companies like Dream11 and My11Circle. The board has affirmed its commitment to adhering to the new regulations, ready to re-evaluate sponsorships based on the law's stipulations.

Indian cricket team is set to participate in the upcoming ACC Asia Cup in UAE, as confirmed by the Sports Ministry. This decision comes amidst a continued freeze on bilateral sporting events between India and Pakistan. The ministry clarified that while bilateral contests remain suspended, India will not obstruct multilateral tournaments.

Shubman Gill's Asia Cup vice-captaincy has intensified debate over Sanju Samson's T20 future, despite his selection. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar highlighted Gill and Samson as opening options alongside Abhishek Sharma. Captain Suryakumar Yadav strongly backed Jitesh Sharma's inclusion, praising his post-T20WC performance.

After struggling in the first two Major League Cricket (MLC) seasons, Unmukt Chand has finally found his feet in the US, where he moved to live his ultimate dream: “to play for the US national team.” The right-handed batter has scored 243 runs in seven innings and is sixth on the list of top run-getters in the ongoing MLC 2025.